Durban - The Msunduzi Municipality has had to call on experts from neighbouring municipalities to assist with disciplining its errant employees because staff are refusing to take part in disciplinary processes against their colleagues due to intimidation.
Municipal manager Lulamile Mapholoba told The Mercury recently that they had called on the eThekwini and Umgungundlovu Municipalities to help Msunduzi with capacity.
In his reports to council recently, Mapholoba listed persistent challenges faced by the municipality. Among these were the protracted appointments of presiding and prosecuting officials for disciplinary cases and the high rate of recusal by these officials due to fear and intimidation.
In this monthly report to council, Mapholoba said City officials do not want to take part in disciplinary processes which had led to the stalling of these matters.
“There is no appetite for employees to take part in this process … some will say they cannot take part because they know the person being disciplined, some do not want to participate because they colluded and others are being threatened,” he said.
Mapholoba said others go to extremes to frustrate the system. “These cases are supposed to sit within a specific time frame, so people will apply for long sick leave to frustrate the process.
“Fortunately, things are now moving, we have asked for more capacity from eThekwini and uMgungundlovu District Municipality,” he saId.
ACDP councillor Rienus Niemand said the level of corruption in disciplinary action at the Msunduzi Municipality was shocking.
“There is clearly collusion where the disciplinary committee fails to convene, members do not pitch up and chairpersons deliberately fail to call meetings.”
Niemand said all this was done to frustrate the process and undermine consequence management.
Intimidation created a culture of lawlessness impacting on service delivery, he said.
The number of honest and hard working public servants are dwindling by the day, he said.
“It is the duty of political parties such as the ACDP to help identify the culprits and with proper oversight ensure that this disease is ruthlessly cut out of the system.
“It can be done and will be done as the rate-paying public is entitled to honest, qualified and upright public servants serving the public efficiently.”
SA Local Government Association (Salga) provincial manager, Sabelo Gwala, said one of the first priorities of the Salga KZN chairperson, councillor Thami Ntuli, was to ensure that they offer prosecutor services to municipalities. “The progress in Msunduzi can be fast tracked now as Municipal Manager, Mapholoba, is familiar with Salga processes. In fact, Salga now sits in HR steering committees of Msunduzi,and these challenges should be arrested.”